EFFECTS OF FLUORINE IN SILICON SOLAR-CELLS WITH POLYSILICON CONTACTS

The effects of fluorine on the performance of solar cells with polysil icon contacts at the front surface and at both: front and back surface s, are reported. It is shown that a fluorine implant applied to the fr ont surface of the device has two different effects: it improves the p assivation of the free oxidised surface leading to improvements in ope n circuit voltage and short circuit current, and it reduces the series resitance. The back polysilicon contact improves the back interface r ecombination velocity. Specific series resistance Values from 0.16 to 0.5 Ohm cm(2) have been measured. The effects of the polysilicon conta ct processing conditions on the short-circuit current, open-circuit vo ltage and spectral response are also discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scie nce B.V. All rights reserved.